Inspenet, December 28, 2023.
Most of the wind turbines currently being built have a height of more than 200 meters and the dimensions of their blades are not far behind in size. Moving these large structures from the factory to the chosen installation location poses significant challenges.
Likewise, the transportation of the considerable parts that make up windmills contributes to making the process of generating renewable energy more expensive. However, to address this problem, the startup Orbital Composites proposes the manufacturing of these megastructures in the same place where they will be installed using 3D printing technology .
Wind turbines with 3D printing: What are the advantages?
Until now, the company has focused on the production of parts for drones and satellites, but is now looking to expand into the field of windmills. They argue that by printing the structures directly at the installation site, they could significantly reduce installation costs. This would be achieved by reducing material expenses by 25% (using recycled materials) and production and transportation costs by between 10% and 25%.
Later this year, Orbital Composites aims to print the first wind blade, which will measure approximately 9 meters in length. This initiative will serve as an inaugural test to demonstrate the viability of your proposal. Engineers must ensure that the efficiency and strength of the blade are comparable to those of conventional wind turbines.
The next step, planned for 2024, involves the creation of a new 3D printing robot capable of moving back and forth on a cable system while manufacturing 49-meter blades. Although this dimension does not equal blades produced remotely, it represents a significant approach.
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Source: 20minutos.es
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